Criminal Expert Calls for Establishment of Unit Specalising in Taxi Violence

• A criminal expert discussed the need for a specialised police unit to tackle taxi violence
• His comments followed the death of a taxi driver in Evaton, south of Johannesburg, who was gunned down on the road
• Dr Tinyiku Ngoveni also criticised what he called inaction from the South African Police Service and its intelligence structure’s failure to tackle taxi-related crimes

With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

PRETORIA, GAUTENG— Dr Tinyiku Ngoveni, the University of South Africa’s Chair of the School of Criminal Justice, told Briefly News that the South African Police Service (SAPS) must pick up its socks in dealing with taxi violence. He called for the establishment of a specialised unit within the SAPS to solve taxi-related violence.

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Ngoveni spoke to Briefly News days after a taxi driver was gunned down on the Golden Highway in Evaton, south of Johannesburg, on 5 March 2026. A white Polo approached the taxi while he was driving, and an unknown number of assailants opened fire, killing the taxi driver. Ngoveni said that the killing was not surprising and remarked that it would not end soon.

Ngoveni discusses taxi violence

Ngoveni remarked that most taxi drivers, owners, and those in the executive structures of the industry are aware of the daily risk of losing their lives. He added that this leads to most of them having tight security. This, however, doesn’t always keep them safe, as one taxi owner in Diepkloof was shot and killed on 9 April 2025 while getting a haircut at the barber shop. Ngoveni pointed out that the taxi industry is a lucrative business that involves wealthy individuals from various parts of society, including politics and even police officers. He added that the criminal justice system is not effective enough to address and deter taxi-related killings.

“Taxi killings need a targeted specialised unit such as the PKTT,” he told Briefly News.

Illegal guns a big problem in SA

Ngoveni also pointed out that the prevalence of illegal firearms can be linked to the rise in taxi-related violent incidents. He said that the high murder rate within the country is associated with illegal firearms and called for stricter gun control and punishment.

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“Taking into consideration the negative impact of illegal guns, anyone in possession of illegal guns must be handed down a life imprisonment sentence. Although some taxi drivers mostly violate road rules and provoke other drivers, in most cases, the killing of taxi drivers or those in the executive structure is highly related to taxi violence, more than mere road rage.

3 killed at Western Cape taxi rank

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the SAPS is investigating three cases of murder after three people were shot dead at the Delft Taxi Rank on the Cape Flats on 12 March 2026.

When the police arrived on the scene, they found that two of the victims had been declared dead on the scene, while the third succumbed to his injuries.

Source: Briefly News